[MyAppleMenu] Aug 4, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Web-based Jailbreak Relies On Unpatched iOS PDF Flaw <http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/apple/~3/Sfa5A8nBsOw/web-based-jailbreak-relies-on-unpatched-mobile-safari-flaw.ars>
Chris Foresman, Ars Technica

VUPEN Security today identified an issue in PDF handling as the flaw being exploited. A "memory corruption error" can occur when processing font data stored within a PDF file. The memory corruption can then trigger a kernel error that allows elevated privileges, bypassing the sandbox within which iPhone apps typically run. The vulnerability "could be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking a user into visiting a specially crafted web page using Mobile Safari," which is exactly what jailbreakme.com does.

**** Debunking AT&T's 1.44% Dropped Call Claim <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zdnet/Apple/~3/q4NwKaoUhxY/7812>
Jason D. O'Grady, ZDNet

So I came up with a pet theory: how long did voice and the solid connection need to be cut off before it could be registered as a “dropped call?”

**** Mac Gems: Vitamin-R Help You Get Things Done <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=c6f8e1284032677c90f2445569294401>
Jeffery Battersby, Macworld

Vitamin-R is an unusual application that works on the assumption (true in my case) that procrastination is really nothing more than the combination of vague objectives and limited focus. You can get more stuff done if you define specific, small goals that have a dedicated, specific amount of distraction-free time for completion.

**** Testing iPhone 4's Antenna Performance <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zdnet/Apple/~3/uAc12CCHdyE/7821>
Jason D. O'Grady, ZDNet

PA Consulting Group conducted tests that indicate that Apple’s iPhone 4 suffers from more connectivity problems compared to other smartphones.

**** Flipboard (For iPad) <http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367338,00.asp>
Jamie Lendino, PC Magazine

If it survives the potential wrath of content owners, Flipboard could be the birth of the personal newspaper.

**** Apple Adds Touches To Its Mac Desktops <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407301430692156.html?ru=yahoo>
Katherine Boehret, Wall Street Journal

If you can afford it, or if touch gestures simply make you a more productive computer user, the Magic Trackpad is a real asset. It can co-exist with a mouse or totally replace it, if you want. After just minutes of use, I stopped using my mouse altogether.

**** iOS 4 Software Problems Also Plaguing Iphone 3Gs, Users Say <http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/08/iphone-3gs-update-ios-4.html>
Kristena Hansen, Los Angeles Times

Apple Inc.'s support forum is piling up with user complaints that their iPhone 3GS, which rolled out last year, is also experiencing slowness, drained battery life, intermittent crashes, rebooting during phone calls and other odd glitches after updating to the new operating system.

**** Doctors Rely On iPhones To Guide Treatment <http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_15669719?&nclick_check=1>
John Boudreau, San Jose Mercury News

While medical reference information has long been available through the Internet on computers, physicians like Corby say the ability to instantly access data in any situation and through one-touch technology is changing the way they practice medicine. Asked to choose between having a stethoscope or a smartphone, some doctors say they would choose the latter.

**** KC Approves The iPhone 4 For Sale Here <http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2924117>
Kim Hyung-eun, JoongAng Daily

The Korea Communications Commission announced yesterday that it has given regulatory approval for Apple’s iPhone 4, five days after the U.S. company applied for permission to sell its latest smartphone model here.

**** Essential Mail Shortcuts <http://www.macworld.com/article/153093/2010/08/emailtips.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Joe Kissell, Macworld

Tucked away in Apple’s Mail are a number of useful capabilities that aren’t entirely obvious. By taking advantage of these oft-overlooked features, you can save time and effort, and improve the chances that you and your correspondents will connect in a timely way.

**** iPad Clears Government Hurdle In China <http://www.pcworld.com/article/202527/ipad_clears_government_hurdle_in_china.html?tk=rss_news>
Michael Kan, IDG News

Apple's iPad has received a safety certification mark from Chinese regulators, putting it on a path that could see the future release of the popular tablet computer in China.

**** Flickr Find: Creative Griffin Case Mod Nets Owner A Family Of Cases <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/08/04/flickr-find-creative-griffin-case-mod-nets-owner-a-family-of-ca/>
Steven Sande, TUAW

If there's anything we love to hear about here at TUAW, it's great customer service. Reader Cristina made our morning with a story of how the team at Griffin Technology went out of their way to turn a bad situation into a happy one for everybody involved.

**** GadgetTrak 3 Locates Stolen Laptops <http://db.tidbits.com/article/11484?rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tidbits_main+%28TidBITS%3A+Mac+News+for+the+Rest+of+Us%29>
Lex Friedman, TidBITS

Cars use LoJack. For iPads and iPhones, there's MobileMe's Find My iPhone feature. But how do you find your MacBook or MacBook Pro if someone steals it? GadgetTrak Laptop may be the perfect solution.

**** Review: 21.5- And 27-inch iMacs (Mid 2010) <http://www.macworld.com/article/153135/2010/08/mid2010_imacs.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Roman Loyola, Macworld

The iMac continues to be an attractive all-in-one computer for the family, home offices, and business. If you’re looking for a new Mac or you’re thinking about upgrading a desktop Mac that’s at least a couple of years old, you’ll be satisfied with the features and performance, as long as you’re willing to deal with the glossy display.

**** Apple Readies Fix For iPhone Browser Security Hole <http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20012694-260.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-Apple>
Erica Ogg, CNET

On Wednesday an Apple spokeswoman said in a statement, "We're aware of this reported issue, we have already developed a fix and it will be available to customers in an upcoming software update."



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Tunes To Shake Your Helmet <http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=258bf76dbc482b8d82964fe827e860d5>
Roy Furchgott, New York Times

So now there is the Tunebug Shake, which turns a helmet into a speaker, allowing riders to wear safety gear and listen to music without blocking out other sounds.

**** Computing At The Speed Of Light <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/25924/?ref=rss&a=f>
Technology Review

The world of computing could change rapidly in coming years thanks to technology that replaces the metal wiring between components with faster, more efficient fiber-optic links.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** An Academic Rip Van Winkle <http://chronicle.com/article/An-Academic-Rip-Van-Winkle/123707/>
David Hiscoe, The Chronicle Of Higher Education

Without much fanfare, I cashed out my stock options 18 months ago and quietly returned to the academy, after more than 20 years in devoted service to corporate interests.

**** A Writer’s Prayer, Halfway Answered <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/books/04book.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Dwight Garner, New York Times

What “Mentor” is really about, though, is the slow-motion derailment of Mr. Grimes’s own once promising literary career, a process that took his pride before it took his sanity. This is a book about striding up to the brink of success, only to have success disembowel you with a dull steak knife, bow, and then skip away, cackling.



SingaporeSurf
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**** How Do You Solve The Shortage Of Overnight Parking Lot Issue? <http://blog.dk.sg/2010/08/03/how-do-you-solve-the-shortage-of-overnight-parking-lot-issue/>
Dee Kay Dot As Gee

Cars need to find a place to park at night. You increase the parking fee, they still need to park there if they have to. How is increasing the fee from $2 to $4 going to help? Besides, I think most of the cars are the car park are season parking. Make not much difference.

Increasing the fee for overnight parking is easy. It looks like action has been taken on the issue. But how effective is this measure?

**** Don't Double Parking Charges, Slap A $50 Fine <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_561603.html>
Su Kim Teck, Straits Times

Non-season-parking motorists should be allowed to use the parking spaces, perhaps marked white or red, only from 7am to 7pm. After 7pm, such spaces must be reserved for season ticket holders.

**** Jurong East MRT Reaches Tipping Point.... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2010/08/jurong-east-mrt-reaches-tipping-point.html>
Diary of A Singaporean Mind

The denial from the govt and SMRT is causing frustration. Many have taken to filming or taking pictures of the situation as evidence of their unpleasant experience.

**** Retirement Should Be A Personal – Not Public – Choice <http://guanyinmiao.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/retirement-should-be-a-personal-–-not-public-–-choice/>
Guanyinmiao's Musings

The basis of a retirement age is positive because it subtly acts as an ending-point for individuals who have worked hard and contributed to the economy for decades; its eradication might conversely push the older workers without granting them the rest they rightfully deserve.

**** Best Beach-Side Eats In Singapore <http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/eat/beachside-eats-812133>
Catherine Ling, CNNGo

**** What Moral Authority, Wong Kan Seng? <http://lostinsingapore.com/2010/08/what-moral-authority-wong-kan-seng/>
Lost In Singapore

What Alan Shadrake did was to point out the flaws in our system, substantiated by facts that he gathered over the years while you attempt to bury the content of his book by threatening criminal defamation, contempt of court against reporters who would quote the offending passages. How then can you expect moral authority to be part of your legitimate rights to rule over us?

**** Is Singapore Growing Too Fast For Comfort? <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100804-0000043/Is-Singapore-growing-too-fast-for-comfort?>
David Boey, Today

Can our infrastructure and our society cope with an influx of foreign workers and new residents of this magnitude? Vibrant economic growth is needed to provide enough meaningful jobs for our citizens. But if growth far exceeds that which can be supported by those in Singapore, perhaps it is time to ask if we should consider forgoing some of it.

**** Singapore Healthcare Sector – Healthy Or Feverish? <http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE66Q0DJ20100803>
Eveline Danubrata, Reuters

**** è°ƒé«˜å¤œé—´åœè½¦è´¹ï¼Œæ²»æ ‡ä¸æ²»æœ¬ <http://www.zaobao.com/yl/yl100804_007.shtml>
陈文坪, 联合早报

ä»Žä¾›éœ€çš„å±‚é¢æ¥çœ‹ï¼Œå¢žåŠ ä¾›åº”é‡æ‰èƒ½çœŸæ­£è§£å†³éœ€æ±‚çš„å¢žå¤šã€‚ä»¥é•¿æœŸæ¥çœ‹ï¼ŒæŠ•å…¥èµ„é‡‘ï¼Œå»ºé€ æ–°çš„åœè½¦åœºæ˜¯æ— å¯é¿å…çš„ã€‚

**** The Cops Should Be Arrested! <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2010/08/cops-should-be-arrested.html>
Singapore Notes

While they are quick on the draw to collect from the little men, the SPF was decidedly slow to return what's due.

**** 林瑞生：促进生产力增长　最低工资制行不通 <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100804_009.shtml>
联合早报

全国职工总会秘书长林瑞生认为，提高生产力，并采用论功行赏的薪金制度才是可持续做法。

“当时我们处于全民就业状态，我们以为采用高工资政策有助提高生产力，所以有个时期，我们推高了各个阶层的工资水平。工资是上涨了，但生产力却追不上工资上涨速度。后来，我们在1985年到1986年陷入经济衰退困境。”

**** Is The YOG Really A Shambles? <http://miyagi.sg/2010/08/is-the-yog-really-a-shambles/>
Mr Miyagi

It’s as if MCYS took on the project thinking, “if we host it, everything else will fall into place”, forgetting that you’ve got a press who’ll only print what you give them to print, and won’t be motivated to look any further.

**** MAS Takes Supervisory Action Against DBS Bank For Service Outage <http://www.mas.gov.sg/news_room/press_releases/2010/MAS_Takes_Supervisory_Action_Against_DBS_Bank_Ltd_For_Breakdown_of_the_Bank_Mainframe-Storage_Area_Network.html>
Monetary Authority Of Singapore, Singapore Government

MAS has censured DBS Bank for the shortcomings and inadequate management oversight by the bank of its outsourced IT systems, networks, operations and infrastructure that resulted in the widespread system outage on 5 July 2010.  This incident has revealed weaknesses in DBS Bank's technology and operational risk management controls.

**** S'pore Remains The Third Most Expensive Office In Asia Pacific <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1073367/1/.html>
Georgina Joseph, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore remains the third most expensive office location in the Asia Pacific region. That's according to the latest report by Colliers International.

**** DBS CEO Apologises For Outage, Acknowledges Censure By MAS <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1073318/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

**** Wong Is Wrong Again. <http://singaporeanskeptic.blogspot.com/2010/08/malicious-attack-so-what.html>
Singaporean Skeptic

Of course, Wong Kan Seng is no stranger to confusing perception with facts; he was the one who said that Singapore had an extremely long coastline.

**** Apple Voted Top Employer Among Entry-level Graduates In S'pore <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1073274/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

Technology giant Apple has nudged out Singapore Airlines to be the Employer of Choice among entry-level graduates in Singapore, in an annual study by JobsFactory.

**** One Subscriber, Many Phones <http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/DigitalOne/Story/A1Story20100804-230339.html>
Christina Ng, My Paper

Singaporeans are becoming so tech- and gadget- savvy that they buy the latest equipment just to keep up with the Joneses - so much so that, increasingly, many would own multiple phones.

**** 'Hate Anwar' Singapore Vows To Back Najib <http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/pakatan-rakyat/8789-hate-anwar-spore-vows-to-keep-najib-in-power>
Free Malaysia Today

Prominent blogger Tulang Besi has claimed that a well-connected friend from Singapore revealed that the island state has a new policy, which is to ensure that Anwar Ibrahim does not come into power.

**** Babies Cannot Drink On MRT Trains?! <http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2010/08/babies-cannot-drink-on-mrt-trains.html>
Siew Kum Hong

In this case, it was a small minority of commuters who were eating and drinking on trains and generally being anti-social and inconsiderate. Well, crack down on them! But SMRT clearly went overboard and is punishing everyone for the actions of a few, instead of focusing its enforcement efforts only on those few.

**** Jurong East Station – An Absurd Situation <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/08/jurong-east-station-an-absurd-situation/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen